Freedom in Captivity
by VoiceOfTime
Summary: A look into a Loki's captivity after The Avengers, and his relationship with the one woman who will never abandon him. Loki/Sigyn Follows up my other story, Faithful
1. Day 1

Disclaimer: I don't really care what you think, Loki is mine and you can't have him. SO THERE!

_A/N: This is a companion piece to my story Faithful. Please read that one first._

Day 1:

Thor stayed with them until Loki's…prison, for lack of a better word, was finished.

"Here." He said, handing a silver cuff to Sigyn before taking Loki's arm and putting a matching one on. It shrank so it was flush with his skin and fused together so there was no seam. "This will bind Loki's magic and bind him to you."

Sigyn nodded and slipped her bracelet on.

"Fantastic." Loki muttered.

"You can't honestly believe we allow you to keep your powers unchecked, brother." Thor told him, frowning.

"Well, it sounds like the stupid kind of thing you would do, _brother_." Loki shot back.

"Stop." Sigyn said softly, getting between them. "Can't you two stop fighting for a moment? Loki, you lost. This is the time for you to recoup, and you don't do that by starting petty arguments with your brother."

"Who are you to stand against me?" he sneered.

Thor moved to intercede, but Sigyn held up her hand.

"You forget yourself, my lord." She told him. "I have been, and always will be, your equal in magic. Oh I may have turned my focus to healing and protection, instead of your path of trickery and deception, that does not make me any weaker than you. And as the only one of us who hasn't had their powers stripped, perhaps you should take care how you speak to me."

Loki studied her for a moment.

"You have grown strong, my lady, in my absence." He told her, smirking.

She didn't return his smile.

"I had to." She replied simply.

"My Lord Thor?"

They all turned to see a servant standing nervously in the doorway.

"The rooms are ready." He told them before fleeing.

"I will escort you down." Thor said, but Sigyn shook her head.

"I am sure the others are anxious to see you." She said, laying a hand on his arm. "Go. We will be fine."

Thor hesitated, but nodded. He left the alone and Sigyn sighed.

"Come." She said, taking his arm.

"And if I will not?" Loki demanded.

"Do not test me, Loki." Sigyn told him, her green eyes flashing blue with power.

Loki looked at her closely. The young girl he had known had grown into a beautiful woman. She was tall, only a bit shorter than him, with red hair falling down her back in a tight braid.

"When did you grow from the shrinking violet to the strong oak?" he asked curiously.

"When you were off waging war against your brother and his allies." She replied. "Come."

She took his arm again, and this time, he didn't fight her. She led him down and down, into the deepest bowels of Odin's palace. Finally, she opened a door and ushered him inside. The rooms were not what he expected.

"What is this?" he demanded.

All around them was a beautiful suite, with every accoutrement he could want, every comfort. Not in any way the prison he expected.

"Thor demanded you be paid the respect a Son of Odin deserves, even one in exile." Sigyn replied, moving further inside. "The court is simply respecting his wishes. All of your things have been moved here, well, with the exception of your weapons. Those have been taken for safe keeping. But all your books, your clothes, your treasures. They're all here."

"And the Allfather believes this will keep me docile?" Loki demanded. "What is to stop me from slitting your throat and walking out of here?"

"Go ahead." Sigyn said, holding out her arms. "But you needn't do anything as drastic as that. Walk out. I won't stop you."

Loki looked at her warily and she nodded to the door.

"Go." She pushed.

He slowly walked to the door and reached to open it, only to be met with a bright golden barrier.

"Oh, perhaps I should have mentioned that." Sigyn said, lowering her arms. "I raised the protections on this room myself. I am the only one who can lower them, so if I were to die, you would be trapped her for all eternity."

He glared at her and she sighed.

"My rooms are here as well." She said, pointing to another door off the main hall. "I will be here every day. If you wish, I will fight you every day, from dawn to dusk, and when you are too tired to continue, we can start again the next day. But I will not be leaving here. You are stuck with me, my lord."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Loki exploded at her.

Sigyn looked down quickly, but took a deep breath and met his eyes again.

"I am not a Lord." He growled at her. "I am nothing. Less than nothing. The adoptive bastard of a ruined house. And no matter who nice this little cage might be, I will still rot here for eternity. Alone with you. Is that what you are hoping for? That if I'm forced to spend enough time with you I will do what I have never done, despite the fact that we have known each other all our lives, and fall in love with you? You stupid little girl. I will never love you. So if that is your goal, you might as well leave now, _my lady_."

Sigyn closed her eyes for a moment before looking at him again, all emotion gone, buried deep.

"My goal is to make you well again, my lord." She said, ignoring his growl. "To cleanse you of the darkness that is festering deep inside your soul. I do not care if you love me or not, it does not change what I feel for you. I care for you, Loki. I always have and I always will. Your feelings on the matter have no bearing. That is why I stay."

"Then you are an idiot." He told her.

"Perhaps." She agreed. "I'm sure much of the court will agree with you. But I will not abandon you."

"Why?" he demanded. "Why do you always insist on doing the stupid thing? Like when we were children and you insisted on training with us even though you were never going to be a warrior? Why do you not just give up? For your own good?"

"Where would that get me?" she asked.

"Safe." He replied.

Sigyn studied him.

"Do you want me gone because you cannot bare my company, or because you are afraid you might hurt me?" she asked.

"I care not whether you are hurt or not." Loki replied haughtily.

"I know you better than that, Loki." She told him.

"You do not know me at all." He shot back angrily.

Sigyn nodded slightly.

"You're right." She replied. "I do not know this new you. But I knew a man very similar once. He was a young prince who knew I was never going to be a warrior. He knew I was never going to be able to face an enemy and attack him head on. So instead, he taught me everything I would need to know to protect those around me. How to fight to keep people safe. He taught me how to expand my magic so nothing would ever threaten those I cared about. He taught me how to heal them when they were hurt. I knew him very well. But he's gone, lost to this madness."

"He is dead." Loki said viciously.

"I am not so sure." Sigyn replied calmly. "But he is very lost. And very alone."

Loki turned away from her and she sighed.

"It is late, my lord." She said. "We should retire."

She headed to her door, but stopped when he spoke.

"I will be free again."

She turned back and looked at him, meeting his eyes without flinching.

"Perhaps this time, you will deserve that freedom."

She turned and walked into her room, closing the door behind her and leaving him alone.

A/N2: Just a little vignette into Loki's captivity that I set up at the end of Faithful. I'm thinking of doing random days, just showing them together. Let me know what you think.

Abbey


	2. Day 7

Disclaimer: I know, I know. I don't own Thor or Loki. Why you gotta kill the dream?

Day 7:

Frigga appeared at her outer door and Sigyn quickly ushered her inside.

"How can I help you, my queen?" she asked, bowing her head.

"Can I see him, Sigyn?" Frigga asked sadly. "Can I see my son?"

"He…is not in a good frame of mind, my queen." Sigyn answered diplomatically.

"Say what you mean plainly, child." Frigga sighed. "I have known you too long to not know when you are holding back the truth."

"I do not think he wishes to see you." Sigyn said bluntly. "He is angry and violent at the moment. He batters at my defenses from morning to night, seeking a weakness in my spells. I've had to push them back so he is confined to his room, which only made him fight harder."

"Are you alright?" the queen asked, worry showing on her face for the young woman.

"I will hold." Sigyn replied. "Without his magic, there is not much Loki can do to break free. And the smaller the area I am protecting, the stronger the walls can be without an increase in effort."

Frigga sighed and sat down.

"I sorry that you must bear this trial, my child." she said as Sigyn sat down next to her. "It is cruel to lock you away from the world like this."

"I chose this, my queen." Sigyn told her. "I would not leave him to strangers. To a prison of bars and chains. I will survive."

Frigga reached out and gently cupped the younger woman's cheek.

"You are sorely missed in court." She told her. "And the halls of healing are just not as warm without your presence."

"Court will survive without me." Sigyn said. "And Eir will take care of the halls in my absence. Loki needs me now. Even if he does not know it."

"My son has always needed you." Frigga told her. "He could never see it, but I could. They all needed you. In that group of warriors, you were the one calming force. The only one who could temper their hotheadedness. Loki has always tried to pretend that it was Thor's plans that got them into trouble, but he never stopped to think either unless you made him. You were the one voice of reason in their group. I pray that that reason can still reach him."

"I will try, my queen." Sigyn told her. "I will never stop trying."

Frigga smiled sadly and brushed a strand of hair back from Sigyn's face.

"I had hoped that one day I could call you daughter." The queen admitted, making Sigyn blush. "Maybe that hope will still come to fruition one day."

Sigyn looked away for a moment before standing up.

"I do not know if he will want to see you, but you may be able to at least see him." She told the queen. "But be warned, much of what he says now is poison. Try not to give it any heed. He will say what he knows will hurt you, no matter if he believes it or not. His silver tongue is no less sharp than it was."

"I just want to see him safe." Frigga replied, standing up.

"Then follow me." Sigyn said.

She led the queen out into the common area and to Loki's door. There was an explosion and Frigga flinched, but Sigyn just sighed.

"My lord?" she called. "Your mother is here. She wishes to see you."

The door wrenched open and Loki appeared, looking disheveled and not a little mad.

"What mother?" he sneered. "I have no mother."

Frigga winced and Sigyn glared at him.

"Your mother, the queen, my lord." She told him.

"I have no mother." He repeated. "Tell this imposter to leave me be."

With that, he slammed the door shut, leaving the two women alone. There was another explosion and Frigga stifled a sob.

"Come, my queen." Sigyn said, leading her back to her rooms.

She sat Frigga back down and went to get her a drink. As the queen took a sip to calm herself, Sigyn sat next to her and took her hand.

"I am sorry." She said softly. "I do not believe he is in his right mind at the moment. Do not take his words to heart."

Frigga took a deep breath and stood.

"Keep me apprised of his condition." She told the other woman.

"Of course, my queen." Sigyn replied, also standing.

The queen nodded and quickly left the room. Sigyn sighed and walked back to Loki's door, opening it and stepping inside.

All around was debris as Loki systematically destroyed his possessions.

"Would you like me to repair what you have destroyed or wait until you are finished so you can begin fresh?" she asked, sitting down on his bed.

He flew at her with an inarticulate shout of rage, only to be brought short by a barrier surrounding Sigyn.

"Why did you bring her here?" he shouted at her, stalking around his room.

"I did not bring her." Sigyn replied calmly. "She came of her own volition. Out of worry for you. Out of love for you."

"She does not love me." Loki spat. "I am simply the child that was forced on her by her husband's political machination."

"She does love you." Sigyn shot back. "You are her son, flesh and blood or no, and she has missed you terribly. We all have. It may have escaped your notice, oh great all knowing one, but you were _mourned_! The court wore the mourning colors for a year after your loss. The queen became a shade of her former self. Did you think it was an oversight that all of your things were still as they were? She would not allow anything to be touched. She would go to your rooms to indulge her grief, surrounded by your things."

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because she was a mother mourning the loss of her child." Sigyn answered. "And you just spat in her face."

Loki moved to the other side of the room, his back facing her.

"I don't want to see her." He told her. "I don't want to see any of them."

"Alright." Sigyn agreed, standing and smoothing out her skirts. "But tell me, my lord. Do you not want to see them because you're afraid they won't forgive you? Or because you're afraid they will?"

"Get out!" He shouted, spinning to face her.

"Very well, my lord." She said.

And she left him alone. After a moment, he went and sat down on his bed, reaching over to pull a picture from a drawer. It was of him and Thor, when they were children, sitting on either side of the queen. The three of them were smiling, the two brothers happily wrapped in their mother's embrace.

Loki reached out to gently touch the picture.

And then he threw it across the room, shattering it against the wall.

A/N: I promise they will not all be the angsty, but at the beginning here, Loki is dealing with a lot and Sigyn is just trying to get through to him. I do have a couple of funny ones planed, though, so just stick with me please?

Abbey


	3. Day 40

Disclaimer: Oh please, like I couldn't get Loki if I wanted to…I totally could. Totally.

Day 40:

Sigyn sat with Thor during his weekly visit. So far, Loki was still refusing to interact with anyone other than Sigyn, but still Thor came back, hoping each week that this would be the one where his brother finally agreed to see him.

"So, how is your dear Jane?" Sigyn asked, taking a sip of her drink. "Court rumor has it that your spend more and more of your time in Midgard now."

"For someone who never leaves these rooms, you are very well connected, Lady Sigyn." Thor grumbled.

"I always keep up with what you are doing." Sigyn said, smiling.

"But how?" Thor demanded. "You haven't left these rooms in over a month."

"I, unlike the rest of you heathens, do not ignore the servants." She replied archly.

"Heathens, are we?" Thor shot back.

"Oh you and the Warriors Three?" Sigyn replied innocently. "Most definitely. Sif approaches civility sometimes. When she is not too busy bashing you about with a sword."

Thor laughed loudly before drifting off into silence.

"Really, dear Sigyn, how are you?" he asked quietly. "You know, you do not have to spend all your time in these rooms. Your magic will hold even when you are not here. You could leave every once in awhile."

"No, I cannot." Sigyn said softly. "I need to be here. For him."

Thor glanced at his brother's door and sighed.

"How is he?" he asked. "Truly."

"Angry." Sigyn replied. "He has let his anger and envy and hatred consume him to the point where he no longer knows who he is without it. But there are moments…moments when I see a spark of who he used to be. Where he will smile, and it is like we're children again, sharing a secret from a book or laughing at a joke. But then something happens and his eyes fill with that darkness and I cannot seem to pull him back." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Those moments…he scares me."

"Has he hurt you?" Thor asked seriously.

"No." Sigyn replied immediately. "Even if he wanted to, I could stop him with little to no issue. That is not what scares me. It is him slipping away. The fear that we will never get him back."

They were quiet for a moment.

"Thor…" Sigyn said slowly. "What do you know of the year he was missing?"

The Thunder God shook his head.

"Very little." He admitted. "Only that, during that time, he met the Chitauri and managed to convince them to give him control of their armies in exchange for the Tesseract. Why do you ask?"

"Because…some nights I wake up…and I think I hear him screaming." She replied softly. "And when his eyes go dark and he becomes even more angry, it is like he is remembering somewhere else. And I don't know how to help him."

She looked so distraught, that Thor took Sigyn by the arm and pulled her into his embrace.

"It is alright, my lady." He told her softly. "We will help my brother together. Whether he wants it or not."

The door to Loki's room flew open at that moment and he strode out.

"Sigyn, when is dinner arriving?" he demanded. "I'm starving."

He was brought short by the sight of his brother holding Sigyn. The two quickly pulled apart, but the damage was done. Loki glared at them before spinning on his heel and striding back into his room, slamming the door after him.

"I will try to speak to him." Thor said, standing, but Sigyn shook her head.

"No, he will not listen to you." She sighed. "Either way, it is late. You will be late for the feast. You should go."

"Sigyn…" Thor said.

"Go." She insisted. "I will handle this."

Thor stood and took her hand, kissing it.

"Good night, Lady Sigyn." He said.

"And you, my prince." She said, smiling.

He left and she took a deep breath before going to Loki's door, knocking, and going inside.

"Get out."

She spotted him standing by the far wall. She had spelled it to function as a window and he was staring out at the night.

"Will you please explain to me what just happened?" she asked, ignoring him as she sat down.

"A year ago, you were helping them, were you not?" he sneered. "Distracting me so they could get to Thor. Making me think you were on my side, when you are really on his. Just like everyone."

"I am not on his side." Sigyn sighed. "If I was, why would I have elected to stay here with you?"

Loki didn't say anything.

"Please look at me." She whispered.

He resolutely stayed facing forward, so she got to her feet and forced him to look at her.

"I am not on his side, Loki." She told him fiercely. "But you were gone for a year! I was alone and Thor and your parents were all I had left of you. That year killed me. I missed you so much I could barely breathe. And Thor felt the same way. So we found comfort together."

"How does his human feel about that?" Loki sneered.

"Who are you to judge me?" She demanded. "You don't want me. You've made that clear. What do you care if I were to take comfort in Thor's arms? Which, not that it has anything to do with you, I have not!"

"He's my brother!" Loki shouted. "You claim to mourn me and run to him!"

"I go to him because you will not talk to me!" Sigyn shouted back. "I hear you scream in the night and I want to help you, but you will not let me! All I have ever wanted was for you to let me stay by your side. To let me be there for you. Why won't you let me?"

He walked away from her.

"I am scared, Loki." Sigyn told him. "I am scared that you're slipping away from me and I can't stop it. And Thor was there, both when I lost you the first time and this time. He is my friend. He lets me talk to him."

"You can talk to me." Loki said petulantly.

"No, I cannot." Sigyn replied. "Because of the two of us, you are the one that needs to talk, but you will not."

"I'm fine." Loki said. "Besides being trapped in this gilded cage."

Sigyn sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Fine." She said. "When you want to talk, I will be here. But until then, you cannot begrudge me my comfort."

She walked to the door and stopped with her hand on the handle as he spoke.

"I fell." He said softly. "I fell for so long."

She turned back to find him looking at her with pain in his eyes.

"And when I thought I would fall forever, the Chitauri found me." He said, his voice getting even softer. "They have ways of causing pain you would not imagine. Not just physical pain, either, though they were good at that."

"Show me." Sigyn said.

Loki hesitated for a moment before turning his back to her and lifting up his shirt. Sigyn swore at the sight and quickly moved to push his shirt up further.

On his back was a mass of crisscrossing scars.

"They cut and they cut." Loki said, his voice breaking. "And threw it all, I knew that even if I could escape, I had nowhere to go. My home was gone, my family lost. They could never forgive what I had done. I had lost them all…but you. I knew you would still be with me."

He pulled his shirt back down and faced her.

"I didn't lose you, right?" he asked, sounding like a lost little boy. "Please…tell me I didn't lose you too."

Sigyn reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her as he wrapped his arms around her. His shoulders began to shake and she held him tighter.

"I can't lose you." Loki whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"Shh." She murmured. "I'm here. You didn't lose me. You didn't lose any of us. We are here and you are home."

"Please don't leave me alone." He begged.

"I never will." She replied.

His knees collapsed and he fell to the ground, his whole body shaking, taking her with him, but she never let go.

They stayed that way through the night.

A/N: So, Loki's made a break through. What do you think? Let me know.

Abbey


	4. Day 41

Disclaimer: If I owned Thor, I would totally be camping out on set, trying to figure out away to make Loki real.

Day 41:

Sigyn looked down at Loki. He had fallen asleep at some point with his head in her lap as they sat on the floor. Asleep, his face lost its hard lines and she could see the young boy he had once been. She gently pushed his hair back from his head and he murmured something.

She heard a knock at their outer door and sighed.

"Loki…" she said softly.

He murmured again and his green eyes cracked open.

"Someone's at the door, my lord." She said, softly, brushing back his hair again. "You should get in to bed. Sleep some more."

"You won't leave?" he asked softly.

"I'll be right back." She promised.

He nodded and rolled off her lap. As he moved to his bed, she got up and made her way to the other room. She opened the door and found Odin on the other side.

"My king." Sigyn said, surprised.

She tried to smooth out her hair and dress as she stepped back to allow him in.

"Where is Loki, Sigyn?" The Allfather asked.

"Asleep, my king." She replied. "He has had…a trying night."

"I need to speak to him." Odin said. "Wake him."

"My king-" Sigyn started.

"Wake him." Odin interrupted.

Sigyn sighed and walked towards the door before stopping and turning back to Odin.

"No, my king." She said.

"Lady Sigyn." Odin said angrily. "You will do as you are ordered."

"I'm sorry, my king, but I will not." She said, standing her ground. "Loki is not ready to see you. He is only now beginning to come to terms what he has done and what has been done to him, and I feel that seeing you will only set him back. He needs to feel safe and he needs to know that he has someone on his side. I am that person. So, I'm sorry, Allfather, but no. You cannot see him. I will contact you when you can."

Odin glared at her, but swept out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The moment the door was shut, Sigyn's knees buckled and she fell to the floor, shaking. She felt arms wrap around her and Loki lifted her into his arms and carried her into her room, setting her down on her bed and sitting next to her.

"You should not have done that." He told her. "The Allfather is not an enemy you want."

"It is worth it to protect you." Sigyn said, taking a deep breath. "I told you to go back to sleep."

"A visit from the King of Asgard usually prohibits sleep." Loki said, smiling slightly. "But I will do as you say now."

He got to his feet but Sigyn reached out and took his hand.

"Stay here." She said softly. "I do not want you to be alone right now."

"Ever the healer." He told her, but he moved so he was leaning against the head of the bed next to her.

"Ever the trickster." She shot back. "Do not pretend that you were not the one who exchanged all the covers of my books."

"You noticed that?" he asked, grinning.

"A lesser trick." She scoffed.

He huffed and crossed his arms. Sigyn grinned as she yawned.

"Go to sleep." He told her.

"Are you going to stay?" she asked.

"Yes, if I must." He sighed.

She shook her head, but laid down, her back facing him. They were quiet for awhile, but she couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Then she felt him gently brush his hand through her hair.

"Thank you." He whispered.

She knew he thought she was asleep and she didn't correct him.

"Thank you for staying." He continued. "Thank you for standing up to father. Thank you for always being there for me. I know what I did I have to pay for, but I'm glad you're with me. I know I haven't been the friend you want or deserve, but I am going to try to be. I am not promising anything, but I am going to try."

She felt him shift down so he was lying next to her and take her hand. Her body relaxed and a little while later, they were both asleep.

A/N: I know it's short, but I wanted an interaction with Odin. Let me know what you thought.

Abbey


	5. Day 197

Disclaimer: No, I will not take this life size model decoy! I want the real Loki!

Day 197:

There was a knock at the door and Sigyn opened the door to find Thor standing on the other side with a basket.

"I come bearing gifts." He said, grinning.

Sigyn laughed and stepped back to let him in.

"Where is Loki?" Thor asked, walking to the couch.

"Asleep, I think." She replied, sitting down next to him. "We were up late."

"Oh?" Thor said, grinning.

"Talking, my lord." Sigyn said, sneering at him playfully.

"Of course." He agreed amicably.

"Where is my gift?" Sigyn said, trying to distract him as she shoved his shoulder.

"Here." He said, laughing as he handed her the basket. "It's a Midgard pet. Loki will hate it."

"I'm not sure this is a goal we should be aiming for." Sigyn said blandly as she opened the basket.

Inside was a small black and white, excited animal.

"Jane called it a puppy." Thor told her as Sigyn picked it up and brought it to her face, laughing as it licked her. "She assures me that he will be good company."

"He is very sweet." Sigyn said as the puppy burrowed into her arms and sat there, wagging his tail. "Thank you, Thor."

"His name is Anubis." He told her. "Darcy named him. She seemed to find it very funny. I'm not quite sure why."

Sigyn shook her head and set the puppy down so he could investigate the rest of the room.

"How are you Sigyn?" Thor asked seriously.

"I'm alright." Sigyn replied slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Father is not happy with you." He told her bluntly. "You are still blocking him from speaking with Loki?"

"What does he want from him?" Sigyn asked.

"I think he wants to see if there is any progress in Loki's rehabilitation." Thor replied.

"It is too early for that." Sigyn said, exasperated.

"I thought you said he was beginning to talk more." Thor said.

"He is." Sigyn sighed. "With me. So far, he is still refusing to speak with anyone else. It is progress that he will stay in the same room with you. He will not acknowledge you, but he won't leave. The same cannot even be said for Sif or the Warriors Three. I have no idea what would happen if we forced him to confront the Allfather."

"I thought he was better." Thor said.

"He has good days and bad days." Sigyn said.

The door to Loki's room chose that moment to bang open and Loki staggered out, a drink in his hand.

"Sigyn!" He shouted. "I want to see Sleipnir!"

He staggered away from the door.

"I want to see my child!" he shouted drunkenly. "It's not fair to keep a mother from his ch-Gah!"

He disappeared behind the furniture and Sigyn sighed.

"Today is a bad day, apparently." She said, getting to her feet.

She and Thor moved to see Loki lying prone on the ground, with Anubis licking his face.

"Sigyn?" Loki asked, obviously confused.

"Yes, Loki?" she replied.

"What is this…creature?" he demanded.

"Thor says it is called a puppy." Sigyn replied.

"I should have known my brother was involved." Loki muttered. "I do not like it. Can you please get it off me?"

"He is for me to like, not you." Sigyn told him, lifting Anubis into her arms. "Why are you drinking?"

"Why should I not?" Loki shot back. "Trapped like an animal in these rooms. I hate it here! And I want to see Sleipnir! I am his mother! I have rights! Tell – tell the Allfather that! Ha!"

Thor reached down to pull Loki to his feet, but his younger brother shook him off angrily. He staggered to his feet and went back to his room, slamming the door shut.

"He wants to see Sleipnir." Sigyn sighed. "Remind me once again how we let him get pregnant in the first place."

"In our defense, we did not honestly think that that stallion would actually catch him." Thor replied.

Sigyn shook her head and sat back down, letting Anubis go again.

"Father will not be deterred for long." Thor said, returning to their previous conversation as he sat back down.

"Do you really want him to go in front of Odin King?" Sigyn demanded. "From day to day, I do not know who I'm dealing with, although the drunkard is new."

"What if you agreed to go before the council periodically?" Thor said.

"And do what?" she asked, sighing.

"Give updates." Thor replied. "Keep them apprised of his situation. Perhaps, if Father feels he is involved, he will be less likely to be angry with you."

Sigyn sighed again.

"Do you think he would agree to this?" she asked.

"I think I can bring him to see reason." Thor said.

"Very well." Sigyn said. "Let me talk to Loki about it. I will not do this unless it is okay with him."

"Contact me when you have spoken to him." Thor said, standing up. "Then I will talk to father."

"Very well." Sigyn agreed, also standing. "Thank you for Anubis. I can already tell I will love him."

She smiled and hugged Thor. He kissed her forehead and left. After he was gone, Sigyn moved around, picking up and setting down some food for Anubis. Finally, she went into Loki's room to find him sitting by his "window", still drinking.

"Would you like to tell me what led to your binge?" she asked softly, sitting down on the bed.

"Why do you always do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" she asked.

"Come in here and ask questions like that?" he sneered. "'Would you like to tell me?' 'Will you please explain to me?' It is infuriating."

He took another swig of his drink and sighed. She reached over and plucked the cup from his hand and he made a noise of outrage. She just glared at him and took a sip before handing back to him.

"I ask you those questions because I cannot think of any other way to get you to talk to me." She told him.

"Maybe I do not want to talk." He said, taking a swig from his cup.

She reached out and he handed her the cup again.

"To anyone or just me?" she asked, taking another sip.

"You are doing it again." He pointed out.

"So talk to me." She said, handing the cup back. "You have started to, do not pull back now."

Loki was silent for a moment.

"The Allfather wants to speak to me." He said. "You've been stopping it."

"Yes." She replied.

"Why?" he asked.

Sigyn stayed silent for a moment, considering her answer.

"You are angry." She said. "And you have been for a very long time. Longer than the last year. And I think you are finally coming to terms with that. But you and your father have always butted heads, and I do not think putting you in a room together would be a good idea."

"You are always looking out for me." Loki said morosely. "You should do what Thor suggested. Meet with the council."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes." He agreed. "Now leave me alone. Please."

Sigyn nodded and stood up. She hesitated for a moment before walking to him and kissing his forehead. He took her hand and squeezed it before letting her go so she could leave. He got up and poured himself another drink before going back and staring out his window.

Sigyn picked up Anubis and went to her room. She sat down on her bed and grabbed her communicator.

"Thor." She called. "Set it up."

A/N: What did you guys think? Please review!

Abbey


	6. Day 214

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the clothes on my back…sometimes.

Day 214:

Sigyn stood outside the council chambers of Asgard, pulling at her clothes. She was dressed in a pale blue gown and her black hair was bound up in a diadem, bringing attention to the fact that, while she maybe a healer in the house of Odin, she was still a daughter of Freya and a princess in her own right. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her blue eyes turned silver as she brought up her power, only to relax when she saw it was Thor.

"You are very jumpy." He observed.

"No, really?" she shot back. "I'm only going in front of a council of the most powerful beings in the Nine Realms to tell them that I'm not going to let them near a mass murdering criminal because I'm protecting his state of mind. What do I have to be jumpy about?"

"Well, we always did say Loki would be the one to drive you mad." Thor said sagely.

"Who is this 'we'?" Sigyn demanded.

"Me, Sif, and the Warriors Three." He replied easily. "We just thought it would have happened years ago."

Sigyn punched him in the shoulder.

"It will be alright, Lady Sigyn." He told her seriously. "Just go in, keep your temper, and tell them the truth. I have to go take my seat."

He squeezed her arm before leaving her. She took a deep breath and went back to brushing imaginary dust off her dress. Finally, the doors opened and she was called in to the chamber.

Inside she found the Council of Asgard sitting in a semi-circle, Odin in the center, and Frigga and Thor to his left and right respectively. As she looked from member to member, she winced as she spotted the person occupying the seat next to Thor.

Her mother, Freya.

Sigyn sighed and turned her attention back to Odin, bowing deeply.

"Lady Sigyn." Odin said. "You have come before this council to give testimony to the fitness of the prisoner Loki."

"Yes, my King." Sigyn replied.

"What say you?" he demanded.

Sigyn took a deep breath.

"Prince Loki was a beloved member of this household when he was a child." she said. "The only one who was not aware of this fact seems to be Loki himself."

"What has this to do with his punishment?" Odin interrupted.

"Loki's state of mind, then and now, has everything to do with his punishment!" Sigyn shot back angrily.

"Sigyn." Freya said harshly.

"I'm sorry, mother, Odin King, but if you wish for my opinion, you must allow me to give it." She said.

"Continue, Lady Sigyn." Thor said.

She nodded to her only advocate.

"As I said, Loki always felt like he was living in his older brother's shadow." Sigyn told her. "The revelation that he was not actually a son of Asgard, as he had grown up believing, but a son of Jötunheim, did not help his state of mind, and in an effort to prove himself a faithful son, he started down a path that he simply did not know how to leave."

"You are saying that all the death and destruction he caused should be excused because it was done in a fit of jealousy?" Týr demanded.

"No, I am trying to explain what happened so I can explain what is happening now." Sigyn told him.

"Then get on with it, Lady Sigyn." Odin said.

She glared at him and opened her mouth, but Thor caught her eye and shook his head. She took a deep breath and tried again.

"Prince Loki is angry, my lords and ladies." She told them. "And in some cases, he is justified. His true parentage was hidden from him, but he was discriminated against because of it. And yes, the way he went about it was wrong, but his only goal in all this was to gain the respect of his family. And, in his mind, he was cast out for this."

"He was cast out because he tried to destroy the Nine Realms." Gná pointed out.

"No, he tried to destroy Jötunheim." Sigyn pointed out. "In his defense, he didn't know the effect it was going to have on the other Realms."

"And this excuses it?" Odin demanded angrily.

Sigyn sensed that she was losing control and a look to Thor confirmed this.

"My lord, nothing can excuse what he did, but my point is that Loki, in his need to prove himself to you and to move out of Thor's shadow, was not in his right mind, and due to the torture he suffered at the hands of the Chitauri, is still not totally in his right mind." Sigyn explained. "But he is getting better."

"So allow him to come before us and prove it." Odin said.

"He is better, he is not healed." Sigyn said. "I have no way of predicting what harm it might do to him to make him confront what he has done."

"When will he be ready?" Frigga asked sadly. "He won't even see us individually."

"I know, my Queen." Sigyn said compassionately. "We are making strides, but he needs time. As much as this council can give him. He is beginning to open up to me, but I need time. I want to give you back your son, Odin King, and I want my friend back, but this will not happen overnight."

Odin leaned back in his throne and Frigga leaned over to speak in her husband's ear. After a moment he sat back up.

"We will give you the time you ask for." He told Sigyn. "Provided you continue to give this council regular updates."

Sigyn bowed her head.

"Of course, my king." She agreed.

"You may go." He dismissed her.

She bowed lowly and turned, leaving quickly. Outside, she leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths with her eyes shut tightly.

"Sigyn."

Sigyn sighed and opened her eyes to find her mother looking at her disapprovingly.

"Hello, mother." She said blandly. "How are you?"

"Wondering why my daughter is throwing her life away for a murder." Freya replied.

Sigyn glared at her mother.

"Well at least you have an actual grievance against him now." She said. "Instead of imagined ones of how a daughter of Freya was above the company of a lowly second born prince. You must have been thrilled when it came out that he was actually a Frost Giant. Proof that he was never worthy of my affection. Not that you need anything but your own prejudices before."

"Do not speak to me in such a callous tone, child." Freya said coldly.

"Why not, mother?" Sigyn demanded. "Since I left your house, have you once deigned to see how I was? Or was the shame of the daughter who dared disobey you too much for you to handle?"

"It was that…creature, who led you astray." Freya sneered.

"Loki saved me." Sigyn shot back.

"Do not be dramatic." Freya said dismissively.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I didn't want to marry Theoric?" Sigyn demanded. "That perhaps I did not want to be bound to one of Odin's Crimson Hawks? I hated him, mother! I would have rather died than marry him. So yes, Loki saved me."

"Loki and his tricks." Freya sneered.

"Yes, Loki and his tricks." Sigyn agreed. "I owe him my life, whether you want to admit it or not."

"He is a murderer." Freya told her.

"He is a confused young man." Sigyn shot back.

Freya opened her mouth, but Sigyn held up her hand, forestalling her.

"I do not want to fight with you, mother, and I need to be getting back to Loki." She said. "I would say it was nice to see you, but you have always taught me not to lie. Not that you were a shining example of that."

Freya glared at her for a moment before turning and stalking off.

"You and Loki are just not happy unless you are upsetting someone, are you?"

Sigyn turned to find Frigga standing behind her.

"We just do not suffer fools lightly." Sigyn replied, smirking. "Even you must admit my mother is not the easiest person to get along with, my Queen."

"That is neither here nor there." Frigga said, smiling.

"Of course, my Queen." Sigyn replied. "I have a gift for you, my lady."

"A gift?" Frigga asked, surprised.

"Follow me, if you would." Sigyn said.

She led the Queen of Asgard down to the lowest levels where she and Loki lived and opened the door to their rooms. Both women were quickly attacked by a small black and white ball.

"Anubis!" Sigyn scolded. "Down!"

He completely ignored her and ran in circles around them.

"I'm sorry." Sigyn said. "Your older son neglected to explain how to train a puppy, so this is a trial and error process. Although it seems to be more on the side of error at the moment."

Frigga laughed.

"Mother?"

She went silent as she turned to see Loki standing by his door.

"It's good to see you." He said softly.

A sob escaped Frigga and she ran to Loki, wrapping him in a hug. After a moment, Loki's arms came up to hug his mother, burying his face in her shoulder.

"Oh, my son." Sigyn heard Frigga whisper. "My dear son."

Sigyn smiled and picked up Anubis, heading for her room.

A/N: So what'd you think? Good? Review!

Okay, so some question answers and a couple of comments.

1: Sleipnir. He is Odin's eight legged steed, born of Loki in mare form by the stallion Svaðilfari. Loki had transformed into a mare, and as such is considered Sleipnir's mother. I hope that clears up the confusion, since it mainly comes from the original myths.

2: If you're actually paying attention, you might have realized that Sigyn's hair turned from red to black, her eyes turned from green to blue, and her power turned from blue to silver. This is due to some more research on my part into what she looks like in the comics. If you want, you can consider the inconsistency an example of her exercising her power just like when Loki changes his clothing.

I hope that clears some things up. Again, review!

Abbey


	7. Day 245

Disclaimer: I'll give you my shoe for a day with Loki. Come back here! Do you have any idea how much I love my shoe?

Day 245:

Sigyn turned a page in her book as she sat with Anubis on the couch, his head on her right leg. She felt the couch sink and another head appeared on her lap, leaning on her left leg.

"I'm bored." Loki whined.

"I am very sorry for you." Sigyn said, turning another page as she smiled.

"Entertain me." He told her.

"Go find a book and entertain yourself." She shot back. "I'm busy."

"_The Art of Healing._" He read off the cover. "Sigyn we read that when we were children. You are not going to learn anything new."

"I'm refreshing my knowledge." She told him.

"Sigyn." Loki whined.

He poked her stomach and she swatted his hand away. They sat in silence for a little while before he poked her again and she swatted him away again. A few minutes later, another poke and another swat.

"Will you stop it?" Sigyn demanded when he poked her again.

"We should do something." He told her.

"Here." She said, grabbing another book and handing it to him. "Entertain yourself."

"_Introduction to Magicks_?" he asked incredulously. "Really? Sigyn!"

"Okay, perhaps that is insensitive." Sigyn said. "But I am trying to read, Loki. Go play with Anubis."

"I do not want to play with the mutt." Loki sneered. "Please, Sigyn?"

He pouted up at her.

"You are acting like a child." she told him, but the corners of her lips were twitching.

"Please?" he asked again.

Sigyn sighed and set aside her book.

"And what would you have us do, my lord?" she asked him.

Loki sprang to his feet and took her hand.

"Come with me, my lady." He said, pulling her along with him.

He led her down the hall and into a room seldom of them either used.

"Training?" she asked, surprised.

"Catch." He said.

He picked up a dagger and threw it to her and she caught it out of the air, her dress fading into a pair of leggings and a blue tunic in a soft silver light.

"I have never been very good at close combat, you know this." Sigyn pointed out.

"Which is all the more reason to practice." Loki said.

He came forward and took her other hand in his, caressing it with his thumb.

"Sigyn, the Chituari were being controlled by someone other than me." He whispered.

"What?" she asked, surprised.

"I never met him, but he was the one directing everything, not me." He told her.

"You haven't told anyone this." Sigyn said. "You need to. If there's an enemy out there, coming for us-"

"I will." Loki agreed. "But not for them."

"Why?" she asked, looking down at their hands.

Loki reached up and touched her chin.

"Every day, you protect me." He told her. "I know your position in court is being hurt by your support of me and I cannot do anything to stop that, or protect you from that, but this…I can teach you. Make sure that if anything ever threatens you, you can protect yourself. And when you bring the Allfather tomorrow to come speak to me, I will tell him about Thanos, but not for Asgard or the Nine Realms, but for you. To protect you."

"Loki…" Sigyn murmured.

"Come." He said, moving away. "Show me what you remember."

She smiled and assumed the guard position.

A/N: I know, really short. Hope you like it anyway. Please review!

Abbey


	8. Day 246

Disclaimer: Alright, I can't have Loki…can I at least have my version of him?

Day 246:

Sigyn bowed slightly as she opened the door and stepped aside.

"Allfather." She said respectively.

"Lady Sigyn." He replied. "I hope I find you well."

"Very, my King." She said.

She closed the door and moved to stand in the middle of the room, looking uneasy. On one side was Odin, king of Asgard, and on the other was Loki, staring at his adoptive father with just this side of hate in his eyes.

"Please excuse us, my lady." He said softly.

"My lord…" she murmured.

"It is alright, Sigyn." He told her, smiling tightly. "Go."

She hesitated for a moment longer before nodding her head and heading into her rooms.

"She is very protective of you." Odin commented.

"The Lady Sigyn is faithful beyond reason." Loki replied dryly. "And that is something I am thankful for everyday."

He moved forward.

"Will you have a seat?" he asked formally.

Odin nodded and sat in a chair as Loki sat on the couch.

"I was surprised by your request to speak to me." Odin told him. "Your lady has been doing her best to keep us apart."

"I asked her to set this up." Loki said, ignoring the 'your lady'. "There are things from my exile you should know, but first I need a promise from you."

Odin inclined his head.

"Promise me that nothing will happen to Sigyn." Loki said. "That she will always be protected and that she will suffer no loss of rank or place in court due to her time in exile with me."

Odin studied his prodigal son.

"You care for her very deeply, do you not?" he asked.

"She stayed by my side when everyone else turned their back on me." Loki replied.

"We didn't turn our backs on you, Loki, you turned your back on us." Odin told him.

"Everything I did was for you!" Loki shouted angrily, surging to his feet. "How can you not see that? All I ever wanted was for you to be proud of me, but that was too much to ask, was it not? How could you have any pride in your changeling son when you had the Mighty Thor?"

He sneered at his father and turned his back on him.

"Stop this, Loki." Odin ordered.

"Or what, _father_?" Loki shot back.

"Or nothing." Odin replied wearily. "We lost you once, my son. I will not risk it again."

Loki turned and stared at him in shock.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

Odin stood and walked over to him, seeming as old as he had a year ago, right before he had gone into the Odinsleep.

"You are my son, Loki." He told him. "Blood or no, and I have always been proud of you, but your anger has always blinded you to this. And you do not need my promise to ensure the Lady Sigyn's safety. She is as good as family and she will always have my protection."

Loki sat back down and cradled his head in his hands.

"She is good for you." Odin observed. "She keeps you grounded. Will you be asking for her hand?"

"No." Loki replied instantly. "I am a plague. Everything I touch turns to ash. I will not risk her like that."

"I think you underestimate yourself." Odin told him. "But the choice is yours, although I would not disregard her opinion in this matter."

"Opinions are not something she hides." Loki agreed with a slight smile.

He looked up at his father and sighed.

"Her most popular one is that I should apologize for the things I have done, even if I do not believe I was in the wrong." He told the King. "But in the case of the things I did to you and to this kingdom…I am sorry, Allfather. I put our family at risk and I let my jealousy blind me."

Odin put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"You are home, my son." He told him softly. "And all is forgiven."

He looked at his son sternly.

"This does not mean your punishment is lifted." He told him.

Loki winced and grinned slightly.

"I figured not." He replied.

"Now." Odin said, sitting back down. "Sigyn said you had information for me."

Loki quickly outlined the state of the Chitauri and his time with them and Odin looked disturbed.

"This leader, you never met him or learned his name?" he asked Loki, who shook his head. "This is upsetting news. Midgard will need to be warned."

Odin stood and Loki followed his lead.

"Father…" he said, making Odin stop on his way to the door. "I am sorry for breaking faith with you."

Odin walked back and grasped Loki's shoulder.

"The only way you could have truly broken faith with me would have been if you had never come home." He told the younger man.

Loki swallowed and Odin squeezed his shoulder before leaving. The younger man sighed and went to Sigyn's door.

"Come." She called when he knocked.

He opened the door to find her playing with Anubis on her bed. She looked up at him and smiled.

"I take it that it went well." She said, moving over so he could sit next to her. "At least I didn't hear any major explosions."

"Because you weren't eavesdropping." He said, gently tugging at a lock of her hair.

She swatted him away.

"Actually, I wasn't." she said primly. "I set up a spell to tell me if things got heated to the point where I needed to intervene, but blocked the rest of the conversation. I figured you and your father could use the privacy. So how did it go?"

"It went." Loki replied. "I apologized and he said he forgives me."

"You do not believe him?" Sigyn asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I believe that the Allfather is a proud man and I betrayed him." Loki sighed. "I believe that one conversation does not make up for hiding my birthright my whole life, or bringing the king of our enemies into his bed chamber. I believe it will take time."

"So give it time." Sigyn said. "Just do not push him away again."

Loki lied down so his head was in her lap and she gently ran her fingers through his hair.

"I made him promise that he would protect you, no matter what." He told her softly.

Her fingers stumbled for a second.

"I do not need protection." She told him. "I am safe here."

"You are not the only one who pays attention to the servants." Loki told her. "I know that Eir is trying to usurp your place in the Halls of Healing and your mother is trying to convince father to give your seat on the council to one of your sisters. The threats are not only external. I do not want you to lose everything because of your loyalty to me. I am not worth it."

Sigyn continued stroking his hair as she answered him.

"Did you know that Theoric married one of the Valkyries?" she asked softly. "She spends all her time in Valhalla and he spends all his time drinking and fighting. Last time they were together, the next time I saw her she had a black eye and he walked with a limp. You saved me from that, Loki. I would have rather died than lived in that life. I owe you everything, Loki. If you had not gone to your father and interceded on my behalf, tricked Theoric into giving up his claim on me…I do not known what I would have done. I owe you everything."

Loki shook his head but she took his face between her hands and made him stay still.

"No matter what happens, I will never regret standing by you." She told him. "You may not think you are worth it, but I do."

Loki closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. They stayed that way for awhile before he pulled away and stood up.

"Come, my lady." He said, holding out his hand. "Time for supper."

Sigyn smiled and took his hand.

"Coming, my lord."

A/N: What did you guys think? Let me know!

Abbey


	9. Day 329

Disclaimer: I have decided that I shall have Loki if it is the last thing I do…right after I gather up the energy to get off the couch.

Day 329:

Sigyn moved around the rooms, fussing at everything. She moved a pillow from the couch before moving it right back. She walked to the mirror and straightened her hair and dress and then turned back to adjust a chair. She moved to a table.

"Sigyn!"

She looked over to where Loki was sprawled on the couch.

"What?" she demanded.

"Can you please stop having some sort of fit?" he asked.

She glared at him.

"Come here, my lady." He said, holding out his hand.

She continued to glare at him, but she took his hand and let him pull her down on to the couch next to him.

"Now, why are you losing your mind exactly?" he asked.

"Everything needs to be perfect." She told him petulantly.

"Why?" he asked. "It is just Thor, Sif, and those other barbarians they wander around with."

"Because I want it to go well." She said stubbornly.

"What is this really about?" he asked.

She sighed.

"This is the first interaction with court that I have had in over a year." She told him. "More than that for you. I know it is just our friends, but still. My dresses are out of fashion, there will be no servants waiting on us, everything will just be so much…less than what the other four are accoustom to. So this needs to be the best it can be."

Loki reached up and brushed her hair back over her shoulder without thinking, but pulled back when he realized what he had done. He cleared his throat and sat up.

"I promise to be on my best behavior." He told her, smiling charmingly. "Does that help?"

"Your definition of 'best behavior' and the rest of the Realms' have never been close to similar." She told him, smirking.

Loki just waved his hand dismissively and Sigyn laughed.

"I am going to get dressed." She told him. "Try not to break anything."

She got up and Loki watched her walk into her room and shut the door before getting to his feet and heading to the communicator.

"Brother!" he heard Thor call boisterously.

Loki sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Can you try to be less…you?" he asked.

"But then who would I be?" Thor asked, seeming genuinely confused.

"…Never mind." Loki said. "Look, I need your help. Can you get something for me?"

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

"I will get it." Loki called to Sigyn, who was still bathing.

"It is probably the servants delivering food." She called back.

Loki opened the door to find Thor standing outside.

"Did you get it?" he demanded.

"Of course I did, brother." Thor replied, handing over a package. "Also, I brought these."

He handed Loki a large bouquet of flowers.

"Tell Sigyn we will be here on time for dinner if I have to drag them down here myself." He told Loki, smiling.

Loki returned the smile slightly.

"Thank you." He told Thor.

His older brother simply smiled and slipped back out. Loki set the flowers on the table and slipped into Sigyn's room, laying the package on her bed, before slipping back out and heading to his room with a satified smile.

* * *

Sigyn came into her room and immediately spotted the package on her bed. On top was a note.

_Everything will be perfect-Loki_

Sigyn opened the package curiously and smiled at what she found. Inside was a dress of blue and silver, in the latest fashion, fit for a princess. She laid it on the bed and quickly worked a simple spell to pull her hair into an intricate braid down her back, before slipping into the dress.

She made her way out to the outer room and stopped and stared.

The room was perfect. The table was set, the candles were lit, and fresh flowers were all around. And in front of it all was Loki, dressed in his best clothes, holding a silver flower in his hand.

"Does it meet your standards, my lady?" he asked, smirking as he held out the flower.

"Loki…" Sigyn murmured, looking around in shock.

"I took care of everything." He told her quickly. "You don't have to worry about anything."

Before he could register what was happening, she hit him, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Loki wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek against the top of her hair.

"You're welcome." He told her softly.

The door chimed and they pulled away. Sigyn grinned brightly and walked towards the door. Loki took a deep breath and followed her.

A/N: So that's the good part of the night. Next chapter will be the bad part. Let me know what you think!

Abbey


	10. Night 329

Disclaimer: If I owned any part of the Avengers universe, Phil never would've died. Evil bastards.

Night 329:

Sigyn caught Thor's eye and sighed. No one had said a word in roughly a half an hour. The only one who could be excused was Volstagg, who really hadn't stopped eating since the food had been served. While not really sure, Sigyn was fairly certain that the problem wasn't with Hogun, who never talked, so that left the daggers being thrown at Loki by Sif and Fandral. Both warriors started the dinner by alternating between saying a few words to Thor and Sigyn, eating, and glaring at Loki, but had quickly devolved into just glaring at the fallen prince.

Loki to his credit had not done anything to provoke them, and was sitting quietly, looking down at his food as he ate. Sigyn discreetly reached over and touched his hand, making him look up at her quickly. She smiled softly and he sighed. She squeezed his hand and she felt him return the squeeze.

"So…" she said, breaking the silence. "Tell us of the latest news from the realms. What news from court? Or how about the Halls of Healing?"

The others immediately stopped glaring at each other and Loki and stared down at their food.

Loki immediately looked up and narrowed his eyes.

"What is going on?" he demanded, speaking for the first time.

"You are ruining Sigyn." Sif sneered. "Just like you ruin everything you touch."

Loki recoiled from her and opened his mouth to retort, but stopped when Sigyn touched his arm.

"Tell me what has happened." she said.

Thor sighed.

"Eir has petitioned Father to become the court's healer." He told her. "She claims you are not worthy of your place if you insist on consorting with a traitor."

"She may have a point." Fandral muttered.

"Fandral." Thor said sharply.

"What?" he demanded. "I love the Lady Sigyn, and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her skill as a healer, but every day she spends down in this place, she loses more and more ground in court. It is not a secret that the Lady Freya is moving against her and trying to replace her on the council with one of her more…controllable daughters."

"Thor, you are here all the time." Sigyn said. "How could you not tell us?"

"Because I know Father promised Loki he'd protect you." Thor replied. "When you return from exile, your place will be waiting for you. I did not think you should worry about things that will never touch you."

"That is not your decision." Loki told him angrily. "We have a right to know what actions are being taken against us."

"If you had not dragged Sigyn down with you, none of this would be happening!" Sif sneered.

"Loki, did not drag me down!" Sigyn told her angrily.

Loki stood up suddenly.

"My Lady, I think it's time for me to retire." He said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Loki…" Sigyn sighed, but he quickly turned and left, ignoring the others.

As the door shut, she turned and glared at the others.

"Coward." Sif muttered.

"He is not a coward." Sigyn said, seething. "He is stronger than you could possibly know. He left because he knows he will only make things worse by being here. He did not even want to come tonight, he wanted me to be able to enjoy a night with people I thought were my friends."

"We are your friends, Sigyn." Volstagg said, his mouth still full.

"Friends would respect my decision to stand by a friend that needs my help." Sigyn said.

"You stand beside him because you are in love with someone who does not really exist." Sif said dismissively. "Loki will never love you back, and yet you stay."

"You have no idea of what you speak." Thor said quietly.

They all turned to stare at him.

"Loki has always loved Sigyn." He sighed. "He told me so shortly after we first met Sigyn."

The others stared at him, while Sigyn looked down at her lap, twisting her hands.

"Please." Fandral scoffed. "If he loved her, he could have asked the Allfather for her hand after he tricked Theoric."

"He was protecting her." Thor explained angrily. "Even back then! He knew that Freya would never agree to a match between her most powerful daughter and Loki Silvertongue, second born of Asgard. He knew one day it would either come down to an all out war between Sigyn and Freya or Sigyn leaving him. He protected her and himself."

"Just stop!" Sigyn said angrily as Sif opened her mouth. "Please! It does not matter! I made my choice, and I chose him. You may not understand that, but I ask that you respect that. And I ask that you recognize that he is trying! When was the last time you saw Loki back down from a battle of wits? And yet, instead of hurting me, he left. He is trying to be better than he was."

"He is trying for you." Thor said softly.

"I do not know if that is true or not." Sigyn said.

They were all silent for a while.

"I think it is time we called it a night." Hogun said. "Lady Sigyn, I apologize for disturbing your peace."

Sigyn nodded and Thor glared at Sif and Fandral.

"We apologize as well." Fandral said.

"Perhaps…" Sif said slowly. "If Loki will agree, we could try again. Perhaps when tempers have had a chance to cool again."

"I will ask him." Sigyn agreed.

Thor stood and the others followed suit, while Sigyn remained sitting. He walked over to her and kiss her hand just as his brother had.

"Goodnight, my Lady." He said, squeezing her hand.

Sigyn smiled slightly.

"Goodnight, my Prince." She replied.

He nodded and led the others out. Sigyn sat quietly and quickly wiped at her cheek as she heard Loki pull out a chair to sit next to her.

"I am sorry." He said softly. "I know how important this night was to you."

"It is not your fault." She said.

He sat there quietly for a moment.

"You should leave." He told her.

She looked at him sharply.

"Do you want me gone?" she demanded.

"No." he told her. "I cannot imagine this place without you. You bring light and laughter and everything I thought I would never have again, but I cannot ask you to ruin your life for my sake."

"The only way my life could be ruined would be to have you ripped from it." She told him softly. "I do not think I could survive that again."

"Damn it, Sigyn." Loki said, surprising her with his anger as he surged to his feet. "You belong in the light, not down here in the dark with me. I am trying to save you!"

"It is not your place to save me!" she shouted back, also becoming angry. "I am perfectly capable of saving myself if I deem it necessary."

"It is necessary!" he told her. "Do you not see that? I am a poison! I destroy everything I touch! I cannot bear to see you come to harm!"

Sigyn got to her feet and stalked over to him, grabbing the front of his shirt.

"Stop trying to protect me." She told him. "I made my choice to stay with you no matter what, so long ago I do not even remember making it. It is just the way it has always been. Why can you not see that?"

Loki stared at her for a moment before taking her face between his hands and kissing her.

"Why must you always defy the natural order?" he whispered when he pulled away.

"Because I fell in love with a trickster." She replied, smiling softly.

Loki laughed slightly and wrapped her in his arms.

"This will never work." He told her softly.

"Maybe not." She agreed. "But why should that mean we do not try?"

Loki just shook his head and held on to her tighter.

A/N:…..peaks out from around the corner…

Happy? Let me know.

Abbey


	11. Day 500

Disclaimer: I love Loki too much to want to own him, but if someone wanted to give him to me, I wouldn't object to it!

Day 500:

"THAT STUPID, SELFISH, LITTLE COW!"

Loki came awake with a start. He had never made it to his room and was sleeping on the couch. He woke to find Sigyn stalking through the sitting room.

"HOW COULD SHE THINK-NO SHE WASN'T THINKING! THAT'S THE PROMBLEM!"

"Sigyn." Loki said. "Loud. Early. Hurts. Soft."

"That's what you get for drinking yourself into a stupor." She said smugly, but lowering her voice none the less.

"Aren't you supposed to be nice to me?" he asked.

"Where would be the fun in that?" She said, sitting down next to him.

She reached out and gently pushed his hair from his face.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You drank quite a bit last night."

Loki looked away and sighed.

"Last night…was not good." He replied.

"Nightmares?" she asked softly.

Loki nodded.

"And memories." He replied.

He took a deep breath and shook himself before turning back to her.

"Want to tell me what is going on?" he asked.

Sigyn studied him for a moment before allowing him to change the subject.

"My youngest sister has allowed herself to be manipulated into trying to take my seat on the council by my mother." Sigyn told him. "She just contacted me to gloat."

"The Allfather will never allow it." Loki assured her. "He promised me. He will not break his word."

"I know, Loki." She sighed. "It's just frustrating."

He wrapped his arm around her and she curled into his side.

"You are getting restless." He said softly. "It is understandable, you have been down here for over a year."

"So have you." Sigyn replied. "I am not leaving until you do."

"I am not saying you should." Loki told her. "But, perhaps it is time you start rejoining the outside world, for just a little while. Or do you not trust me to behave myself in this heavily warded room with no powers?"

He smirked at her and she glared at him.

"Of course I trust you." She said. "But…it is peaceful down here. A far cry from the trials of the court of Odin. I know I can trust you on your own. I am just not sure I am ready to go back. These months with you…I have been happier than I ever have been. In this place, where the outside world cannot touch us."

"No Odin or Freya." Loki agreed. "No Thor and his hair brained quests, no Sif and the Warriors Three. You are right, it has been nice. But we do not know how long I will be kept down here, and one of us should at least try to rejoin the outside world. We knew this day would come eventually. This has been a dream, but I think it is time to wake up."

"I will not move back to my rooms." Sigyn said quietly.

"You may be expected to." Loki replied. "You cannot exactly explain how we are sharing a bed without besmirching your honor."

"To hell with my honor." Sigyn said, sitting up angrily.

She moved so she was straddling him and took his face between her hands as he rested his on her hips.

"You are my husband in all but name." she told him softly. "I will stay by your side, no matter what."

Loki's eyes softened and he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers.

"I love you." She whispered.

She pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss.

"I won't leave you." She said, pulling away.

"Alright." He agreed. "We will make this work. But you do need to go back. Thor could use your support."

Sigyn nodded before kissing him again.

* * *

Thor sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyes as Freya once again fought to have one daughter removed and replaced with a more controllable one.

"Sigyn has forgotten her duty to this council and to you, Odin King." Freya said. "She should be removed from this council and separated from the traitor, Loki Silvertongue, until she remembers to who she owes her allegiance."

"I have never forgotten my duty, Mother."

Everyone turned to look and saw Sigyn, dressed in a pale green dress and her tiara on her head, striding through the door.

"Nor have I forgotten who I owe my allegiance to." She continued, striding up to Odin's throne.

When she reached the steps below him, she knelt on both knees, bowing her head in supplication.

"I come to you, Allfather, and ask that you allow me to resume my duties in your court." She said.

"You do not feel you are needed to watch over my son anymore?" Odin asked.

"I believe that Loki is fine to be left unsupervised for a time." Sigyn replied. "He is not fully rehabilitated and he still needs time, but we both agreed that it was time for me to try to return to my life, at least to an extent."

"Will you be moving back to your rooms?" Freya asked coldly. "Or will you be staying with the traitor?"

"The traitor has a name, mother." Sigyn said angrily. "And it is Loki Odinson. You would do well to remember that. And yes, I will be staying with him. He still needs me."

"In his bed?" Freya sneered.

Thor stood angrily, but Sigyn motioned him back down.

"Even if that was the case, that is none of your business, mother." She told her. "As it is, he does need someone there while he sleeps. He needs to feel safe, with someone who does not judge him. That someone is me."

"Enough." Odin said, stepping in. "Sigyn is to be given all the respect due her rank and privilege, and as she has been helping my son, all that she had before shall be hers again. Her position both on this council and in the Halls of Healing. That is the final word of Odin."

He brought his spear down against the floor and everyone was silent.

"Rise, Lady Sigyn and take your place." Odin said.

Thor stepped down and took her hand, helping her to her feet, and led her to the empty chair next to Sif.

"Now, onto the business of the realm…"

A/N: Let me know what you think. I know it's been awhile.

So question: I've come to the realization that I need a new Username, as I don't really like mine. Does anyone know if this effects things like if I'm on someone's favorite list or my story is, or if they have alerts set up for my stuff? Does it change it over automatically or would they need to re-favorite me?

Please let me know if you know.

Abbey


	12. Day 534

Disclaimer: Please, I'm begging you. Just let me keep them for a little while. Please!

Day 534:

Sigyn was sitting in the Halls of Healing. It was quiet and it had been that way for hours. She was about to give up for the day, when the doors opened and Sif walked in.

"Good, you are still here." She said, sitting down on the bed across from Sigyn. "I thought you might have left."

"I was about to." Sigyn said. "Are you alright? Did Thor come up with some harebrained plan again?"

"No, I'm fine." Sif said, laughing. "I just wanted to talk to you."

Sigyn shifted in her seat. Ever since the failed dinner, Sigyn and Sif had spent no time together.

"What about?" she asked.

"I wanted to apologize." Sif said quietly. "For that night. I suppose…I know Thor has forgiven Loki, but I cannot seem to look past the things he did."

"No one is asking you to." Sigyn told her. "I am certainly not asking for everything to go back to the way it was. For one thing, Loki is not the same man he once was."

"If you say so." Sif said.

"Lady, the man who hated his father and banished his brother was beaten and broken down into nothing." Sigyn told her. "There was nothing left for him to do but to put back the pieces as best he could. There is no way that he could be the same person again, no matter how hard he tried, there was no way he could make himself be the same. And what he did tortures him, you have to believe me."

Sif was quiet for a moment.

"I believe you." She told her. "I just look at him and I see the same smug bastard that sat on Odin's throne."

"I cannot change that." Sigyn told her.

"I know." Sif replied. "It is something I will have to do over time, on my own. And I am willing to try. But I miss my friend, the Lady Sigyn."

Sigyn looked away.

"He needs me, Sif." She said. "But you are right. I miss you, my friend, as well."

"Do you remember when we were younger, and we played that trick on your sisters?" Sif asked, smiling.

Sigyn laughed.

"It must have taken them a month to find the spell to turn their hair back." She said. "What when we were in lessons, and no matter where they put us, we would always talk?"

"Our tutors would get so angry!" Sif said, laughing with her.

Sigyn's laughter faded away, but her smile remained.

"The two of us." She said, her smile growing soft as she remembered. "The Warrior Women. Remember how much grief the others would give Thor and Loki for letting us run with them, but they never let it bother them. They just said if we could keep up, we belonged."

Sif looked thoughtful.

"I'd forgotten how much Loki used to defend us." She said. "More than Thor at times. I suppose he was not willing to let you out of his sight even then."

Sigyn reached over and threw a pillow at Sif, who dodged it, laughing.

"I have missed this." Sif told her.

Sigyn nodded.

"How about this?" Sigyn asked. "I do not try to push you to forgive Loki, you do not try to turn me against him."

"Like I could." Sif said, smiling. "But agreed."

Sigyn got up and sat down next to her, nudging the vastly different, and yet the same, woman with her shoulder.

"Loki is meeting with Frigga tonight for their weekly dinner." She told her. "Want to go to the dining hall and see how much we can embarrass Thor and the Warriors Three? I bet I can get Hogun to crack."

"You are on." Sif said.

Sigyn got up and cleaned up her area before turning back to her old friend.

"Shall we?" she asked.

Sif got up and wrapped her arm through Sigyn's arm.

"We shall." She said.

A/N: I know it's short, but I just had this little scene in my head. Hope you like it. In fact, you should tell me how much you like it in a review!

Also, I have a poll going on my profile to see what my new penname should be. Please go vote!

Abbey


	13. Day 658

Disclaimer:…Please? Meanies.

Day 658:

Sigyn sat quietly with a hot drink in her hands as she contemplated Loki's closed door. These last few weeks, he had begun to slip away from her again. He had retreated from her bed, drawing into himself, becoming more and more solitary as he blocked her out. No matter what she did, she could seem to draw him back out.

The door chime rang and she got to her feet to find Thor standing outside.

"Good afternoon, Lady." He said, smiling brightly as he stepped inside. "How are we today?"

"The same." Sigyn replied, sitting back down with a sigh.

Thor frowned slightly and sat down next to her.

"I do not know what to do." She said softly. "With every second, he is moving further and further away from me, and I cannot stop it. All my knowledge, all my skill at healing, and I cannot heal the one person I love most. We have been down here two years, and in all that time, I have made minimal progress at best. What if he can never be healed? Are we destined to spend the rest of eternity in the dark?"

"Are you thinking about leaving?" Thor asked. "No one would blame you if you were. Least of all Loki."

"No, I will never leave him." Sigyn said simply. "I will spend a thousand years down here, if that's what it takes, but I will never abandon him."

She paused for a moment, and then smiled slightly.

"But I will not deny that I do miss the sun." she said.

She sighed again.

"Perhaps Loki also misses the sun." she mused.

Thor grew thoughtful.

"Do you think it would do my brother good to see the sun again?" he asked.

"Loki is confined to these rooms." Sigyn said.

"Is there any reason that you can think of to say that he wouldn't be safe to let out on a brief sojourn?" Thor asked. "He would of course be closely watched, and the band you both wear keeps him from playing any magical tricks. Why wouldn't it be safe?"

Sigyn looked down at the silver band on her wrist and gently touched it with her fingers before looking back at Thor, a slight light of hope in her eyes.

"I will talk to father." He promised.

* * *

"Come on." Sigyn said, dragging Loki out of his room.

"Sigyn, please." He said, not really fighting her, not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't seem to have the strength. "Just leave me be."

"No." she told him. "I have let you wallow for quite long enough. Today, you will do as I say. Now, stay."

"I am not Anubis, to be ordered about." Loki said angrily.

"You listen about as well as Anubis." Sigyn muttered. "Will you please just do as I ask?"

Loki sighed and stood still as she moved around, gathering things up.

"Now." She said, coming back to stand in front of him. "Close your eyes."

"I will not play these childish games, my Lady." Loki told her stiffly.

"Yes you will, my Lord." Sigyn replied brightly. "Close your eyes."

He grumbled under his breath, but did as she said. She took his hands in hers and he felt a tightness. He quickly opened his eyes.

"Wha-?"

Sigyn smiled and moved back from him, allowing him to look around at the field she had brought them to.

"Happy Birthday, Loki." She said softly.

"What are we doing here?" he asked.

"Do you remember this place?" she asked him.

"I-" he trailed off.

"It is where we came for your birthday when we were children." Sigyn said. "All of us. Every year we would come here and we would eat and we would run and we would play. Well into when we were considered too old to play."

"Why did you bring me here?" He asked her.

"Because…I am losing you." She said softly, stepping back up to him. "And it is killing me. I will not lose you again. I will not. I thought, if I could give you this, give you the sun, the wind, in this place…maybe it would bring you back to me."

Tears fell down her cheeks.

"Please." She begged. "Please, do not leave me. There was a time I thought I could do all this on my own, but now I know…I cannot. I need you, Loki. I need my trickster. Please…do not go where I cannot follow."

Loki reached up and gently brushed away her tears before pulling her into his arms.

"I am trying to stay, my lady." He whispered. "But my dreams are so dark. I'm not sure I can resist their pull."

"Are we interrupting?"

The couple pulled apart to see Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three standing a little ways away, all of them holding food.

"No!" Sigyn said happily as she pulled away from Loki. "You are right on time!

She walked over to Thor and relived him of his parcel. Thor grinned at her before turning to his brother.

"No." Loki said, backing up. "Do not even think about it, Thor."

Thor took a step forward and Loki responded by turning to run away, but before he could take a step, Thor crashed into him, picking him up in a great hug.

"Put me down, you oaf!" Loki shouted.

Thor laughed, but did as Loki asked.

"Happy Birthday, Little Brother." He told him, clapping him on the shoulder.

Loki stared at him, but Sigyn saw his lips twitch upwards. Thor stepped back and Sif stepped forward.

"Happy Birthday, Loki." She said hesitantly.

Loki looked back at Sigyn, who nodded.

"Thank you, Lady." He said, nodding.

Sigyn smiled brightly and came up next to him, wrapping her arm through his. He sighed, but smirked when she turned away to yell at Volstagg for sneaking into the food early.

"She has given up everything for you, little brother." Thor said softly as they watched Sif, Fandral, and Hogun begin to take bets on who would win the argument, Sigyn or Volstagg.

"I know." Loki replied, just as softly. "I can never repay the debt I owe her."

"I think she is only asking for one thing in return." Thor told him.

Loki sighed and turned to face his brother.

"I do not think I can give her what she wants." He told him. "Not really. Not without destroying her."

"Now that that's settled…" Sigyn said, drawing the brothers' attention back to her as she glared at a sheepish Volstagg and Sif gloated to Fandral and Hogun, who grumbled. "Let's eat!"

Volstagg sputtered in outrage, but Sigyn just ignored him.

* * *

The group sat on the blanket, talking happily after a stilted beginning. Thor embarrassed Loki, Sigyn and Sif exchanged gossip, and Volstagg and Fandral took up their usual game of trying to bait Hogun.

"Sigyn, make him leave me alone." Loki pleaded with her after awhile.

"Play nice, children." Sigyn drawled.

She poured Loki a glass of wine and handed it to him.

"Here." She told him. "Drink until he is less annoying."

Sif laughed as Loki glared at Sigyn, but took a sip anyway. Sigyn smiled at him, but it faltered as she thought she saw something flash in his eyes. A second later, though, it was gone and Sif was pulling her back into conversation, so she let it go.

A little while later, after they had eaten and were just sitting and talking about old times, Loki leaned over to Sigyn.

"Walk with me, my Lady." He whispered.

She smiled and nodded, accepting the hand he offered to help her up. The wandered a little ways away and Loki stopped her, pulling her close. He looked at the ground and Sigyn frowned slightly.

"My lord, what is it?" she asked, gently touching his cheek.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers.

"I love you." He told her softly. "You know that, right?"

"Of course I do." She said, confused. "Loki, what is going-?"

Sigyn gasped as Loki slid the knife in his hand into her stomach.

"I love you." He repeated as he pulled the knife back and she collapsed. "I love you."

* * *

Thor looked over to where Loki and Sigyn stood in time to see her fall.

"What in-?" he cried, surging to his feet. "Sigyn!"

He ran to his brother, who was standing over Sigyn, not moving, with the other four on his heels. When they reached the couple, Thor went to Loki, grabbing his hand and forcing the trickster to drop the knife, and Sif went to Sigyn and tried to stem the blood flow.

"What have you done, brother?" Thor demanded as Fandral and Hogun forced him to his knees.

"I saved her." Loki stated calmly. "I saved her."

"Thor." Sif said sharply.

The Asgardian Prince turned and saw that she and Volstagg were already covered in Sigyn's blood.

"She needs healing." Sif told him. "We can sort everything out later. Right now, she is dying."

Thor nodded and Volstagg picked Sigyn up, quickly moving away with Sif following. After they were gone, Thor turned back to his brother. He regarded him for a moment before looking at Fandral.

"Take him to the dungeons." Thor ordered angrily.

The two warriors forced Loki to his feet.

"I saved her." Loki shouted as the two warriors forced him to walk.

Thor refused to look at his brother, instead kneeling down to pick up the knife he had used to eat and was now covered in Sigyn's blood.

He slipped it into his belt and got back on to his feet, following the others out of the meadow.

A/N: So I know it's been awhile. What do you guys think?

Abbey


	14. Day 658 con't

Disclaimer: I beg you to just let me borrow it! I won't hurt Loki, and you'll get him back in just as good condition.

Day 658 con't:

After making sure Loki was locked up, Thor, Fandral, and Hogun joined Sif and Volstagg as they kept vigil outside the Halls of Healing.

"Is there news?" Hogun asked softly.

"Loki hurt her very badly." Sif said, her cheeks red from tears and her eyes angry. "Eir does not have the skill, nor the power that Sigyn has. She do what she can and hope Sigyn is strong enough to make it. What did you tell the Allfather?"

"Nothing." Thor replied absentmindedly.

"What?" Sif shouted angrily. "That bastard gutted her! I do not care if he was your brother! He deserves to die!"

"Something is right here, Lady Sif." Thor insisted. "And until I figure out what that is, we do not tell Odin anything!"

The door opened at that moment and Eir slipped outside, shutting it behind her.

"Well?" Volstagg asked anxiously.

"She was severely hurt." The healer reported tiredly. "I have done what I can to repair the physical damage, but we have a more urgent problem."

"What?" Thor asked.

"Her power reserves are almost depleted." Eir reported. "I have not seen them this low since she brought you back from the brink, my prince. And I cannot find a source. It is like her power is being drawn away from her and I cannot stop it."

"What do we do?" Sif whispered.

There was a crash from behind the door.

"Excuse me." Eir said quickly.

She rushed through the door, not closing it completely. The others moved towards it and saw Sigyn struggling against the Novice Healers.

"Let me go!" she shouted.

As Eir ran to her, the others saw that she was dressed only in her undergarments and a large white bandage around her abdomen that had a slowly growing red stain.

"My Lady, you must rest!" Eir insisted.

"I will rest when I figure out what the in the name of Odin is happening!" She shouted.

"You were stabbed!" Eir told her. "You need to rest!"

"I cannot!" Sigyn shouted. "I can-I cann-ot…"

She collapsed and Thor rushed forward to pick her up and set her back on the bed.

"My magic." She said weakly.

"It is being drawn away." Thor confirmed.

"The wards." She said. "They-they are reacting to the attack and locking down the room. Where did you put Loki?"

"In the dungeons." Thor replied.

"The wards will have moved to surround him." She said. "I set them up-up so they…would activate…if I was in peril at…at Loki's hand. They are to lock down completely, with me as…the only one who can lift them, but I did not anticipate…their need to relocate. Until I can take them…down, they'll continue to draw power, but the power it took…to-to move them was too much. I do not have enough to take them down."

"So what?" Fandral asked. "They'll just keep drawing power until you die?"

"Unless I can access another source, yes." Sigyn said softly. "I need to see Loki. I need to understand what is going on."

She looked up at Thor, fire burning in her eyes.

"Take me to him, or I swear I will do it on my own." She told him.

Thor studied her for a moment before leaning over and pulling her to her feet and handing her a pair of leggings and a robe. She pulled them on, and when she was dressed, he picked her up.

"My Prince!" Eir protested.

"Thor!" Sif and the Warriors Three cried.

He ignored them and strode out of the room, Sigyn safe in his arms. The others trailed after them as they made their way down to the dungeons. When they reached Loki's cell, he sat up, a horrified look on his face.

"No." he whispered. "I saved you! She said it would save you. You cannot be here! She will punish us both."

"Put me down, Thor." Sigyn said softly.

He set her on her feet, but held on until she was steady.

"Please." Loki begged, practically in tears. "You must go!"

"It is alright, my lord." Sigyn said softly. "I am safe. And I will keep you safe. I am going to come in, alright?"

Loki crawled to the farthest corner of the cell as Sigyn stepped inside.

"Do not try to follow me." She told the others. "The wards will allow me, but no one else."

She knelt down in front of Loki, wincing in pain as blood began to soak through her shirt.

"What has happened to you?" she whispered, looking into his eyes.

She sighed and reached out to take his hand.

"This is going to hurt." She told him softly.

The bands on their arms glowed with a bright light and Loki whimpered. Finally the light faded as Sigyn pulled back and Loki pulled himself even further into the corner.

She turned and the others saw that her eyes were glowing green.

"Your magic is silver." Sif whispered.

"This Loki's." Sigyn replied.

She raised her hand and the wards glowed before disappearing.

"I've moved the wards back to our rooms." She said, her voice far away.

She turned back to Loki and took his face between her hands.

"Who did this to you, my love?" she said.

"What is wrong with her?" Thor asked Eir urgently.

"A combination of an adrenalin rush from using Loki's magic and blood lost." She whispered. "She needs to rest."

"Where are the things we ate?" Sigyn called.

"Still in the glen." Hogun said.

"I need it." She said. "All of it."

She turned back to Loki and Fandral and Volstagg went to do as she said.

"I am going to fix this." She told him softly.

She took his face between her hands again and green magic pulsed between them. A second later, Sigyn pulled away.

"Sigyn?" Loki asked, confused. "Wha-?"

"Loki." She said, smiling.

Then she collapsed in his arms.

"Sigyn!" he shouted. "Someone help me!"

The others rushed into the cell.

"Get her back to the Halls of Healing." Eir ordered.

Two novices stepped forward and picked up Sigyn, carrying her out.

"What is going on?" Loki demanded. "Who hurt her?"

"You did, you bastard." Sif hissed.

Loki stared at her in confusion.

"I do not – I do not understand." He said, shaking his head. "I could not have done this."

"You took her off, away from us." Sif said viscously, kneeling in front of him. "And you gutted her, you sick bastard. She trusted you, and you betrayed her. You should die for that alone."

Loki just stared at her, not comprehending.

"Sif." Thor said gently, pulling her to her feet. "Go check on Fandral and Volstagg."

Sif glared at Loki one last time before leaving.

"Brother, we must move you back to your rooms." Thor said softly. "The wards here are not as strong and I can't risk something happening before we get this sorted."

Loki nodded weakly and stood up, allowing Thor to bind his hands.

"Thor." He said, stopping and looking at his brother. "I do not remember. Did I really hurt her?"

"Yes." Thor replied simply before leading him off.

A/N: Okay, so I'm going to drag this out. So sue me. Just let me know what you think.

Abbey


	15. Day 662

Disclaimer: Don't even bother trying to convince me I don't own Loki. It's not worth the annoyance.

Day 662:

Sigyn slowly opened her eyes to find Queen Frigga sitting by her bed.

"My queen?" she said, struggling to sit up.

"No, no." Frigga said, stopping her. "You are still weak, my dear. Rest."

"Loki." Sigyn rasped. "Is he alright? Where is he?"

"Here." Frigga said, handing the younger goddess a glass of water. "Drink."

Sigyn did as told and coughed for a moment before handing the glass back.

"Please, my queen." She said softly. "Loki. Is he alright?"

"Loki is…well." Frigga said. "I believe."

"You believe?" Sigyn repeated, trying to sit up again.

"Calm." Frigga told her, stopping her again. "He has locked himself in his room and is refusing to talk to anyone."

"I need to go to him." Sigyn kept struggling.

"Lady Sigyn." Eir said, joining them quickly. "You must rest."

"No, I must see Loki." Sigyn insisted. "You do not understand!"

"What do we not understand, my child?" Frigga asked.

"He was bespelled." Sigyn told her, tears in her eyes. "He is punishing himself for something that is not his fault! Please. Let me see him."

Frigga studied her for a moment.

"Eir, can she handle the trip to their rooms?" Frigga asked, sighing.

"My Queen!" Eir protested.

"She will not rest until she has spoken to him." Frigga said. "We both know that."

Eir sighed.

"She is not to exert herself." She ordered. "And she is not to use magic. If she feels tired, she must come right back."

"I will call Thor." Frigga said.

"Tell him to bring the food, as well." Sigyn said, pulling the shirt that Eir was holding to herself.

* * *

Thor set Sigyn down on the inside of the door, letting her walk into the rooms she had spent the last two years in. She walked unsteadily straight to Loki's shut door, not even seeing the familiar surroundings that she had spent every night until the last four.

"Loki!" she called, pounding on the door. "Open this door this second!"

There was only silence from the other side and Sigyn growled. She laid her hand on the door and her silver power blasted it open.

"Sigyn!" Thor chastised.

"Hush." She ordered, striding in.

Loki was lying on his bed, not even acknowledging the destruction of his door or the woman standing above him.

"Loki." She said, sitting down next to him. "You must listen to me. You are blaming yourself for something that was not under your control."

"How can you say that?" he demanded, finally looking at her. "How can you when I remember every moment? When I remember sliding the knife into you? I tried to kill you, my lady! When will you see that I am a danger to you? Just leave me to my death. I release you from any obligation."

He turned his back to her and she stared at him open mouthed.

"You think I stay with you out of obligation?" she whispered. "Are you that much of a fool? Look at me!"

Loki ignored her, so she reached over and forced him to turn.

"You were under a spell, you ignoramus." She told him angrily. "Someone put you under a compulsion spell."

Loki scoffed at her.

"I have be able to throw off a compulsion spell since I was a small child." He told her.

"Yes, using your magic." She shot back, bringing him up short. "But your magic is bound at the moment. It cannot protect you anymore."

Loki stared at her and she though she saw the beginning of hope in his eyes.

"I can prove it." She cajoled.

"How?" he asked softly.

"It was laid in the food we eat." She told him. "I just need to figure out which item."

"But then the others would be affected as well." Loki pointed out. "They do not have magic to protect them."

"Yes, but they have developed the will to throw them off because they do not have magic." Sigyn replied. "You and I never learned that skill because we always had our magic to protect us."

"Show me, than." Loki said, sitting up.

"Thor, bring it in here, please." Sigyn called.

Thor entered the room, carrying the basket, blanket, and bottle of wine. He set it all down in front of Sigyn on the bed and she held her hand over it. One by one, the items began to glow.

"Sigyn, no magic." Thor pleaded.

"Shh." She replied.

Each item glowed with a silver light until the magic reached the bottle of wine, and then it turned a sinister red color.

Sigyn reached over and picked it up, turning the bottle over in her hands as she inspected it.

"This was subtly laid." She murmured. "I cannot even feel it unless I was looking for it. Anyone who was not protected who drank this would have fallen right under its spell. Do you remember what it told you?"

"That I had to protect you." Loki said softly, staring at the bottle with hate. "That as long as we were together, you would be in danger. I had to keep you away from me, but I knew you never would leave me, so I did what I had to do."

He looked down at his hands.

"I remember each moment now." He said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It all seemed so reasonable. All of it may sense. My hands are covered in your blood."

Sigyn set the bottle down and wrapped her hands around his.

"I see nothing, my lord." She told him softly. "No stain on your hands, or on your soul."

Loki noticed her hands were shaking and he looked up to see that her face was covered in sweat.

"Are you alright, my lady?" he asked worriedly.

"There may have been some wisdom in Eir's order to not use magic." She said with a tired chuckle. "I am alright. Are you alright?"

"I will be when I know who did this to us." Loki replied angrily.

Sigyn reached for the bottle again, but Thor grabbed it away.

"No." he told her. "No more magic until you are rested."

"But we need to know, Thor." She protested.

"Is the evidence going to change in one more day?" he asked.

"Well, no…" she sighed. "Fine. I will cast the spell tomorrow."

She looked upset, but Loki reached up and caressed her face.

"We can wait another day, my lady." He told her. "Rest."

She nodded and looked up at Thor.

"Can I stay here?" she asked in a small voice.

Thor sighed.

"Eir is not going to be happy." He told her.

"Eir is never happy." Loki muttered.

Thor glared at his brother before turning back to Sigyn.

"I will tell her where you are, but you must promise to return to her to be checked over before you perform anymore magic." He said.

"Agreed." She said, smiling softly.

Thor left and Sigyn closed her eyes.

"Go to sleep, my lady." Loki told her.

"Can I stay here?" she asked softly.

She looked at him and he nodded. They both leaned back and Sigyn fell asleep in Loki's arm and he kept watch over her through the night.

A/N: So, it's been awhile, my loves. What did you think?

Abbey


End file.
